Results 5,321-5,340 of 18,593 for speaker:Michael Creed

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Deputy Cahill will be aware that in the throes of late spring fodder was moved from his neighbouring county to Tipperary in April and May. It is not unprecedented, therefore, but it is unusual. We will consider looking at all of that. The overwhelming objective and emphasis have been to close the gap and get the tillage initiative up and running. We remain open to engaging on that issue...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Do not forget your colleague in the mart in Kenmare.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: The Deputy does not believe in that anyway.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Another matter the Minister is aware of is targeted agricultural modernisation schemes, TAMS, grants for farmers where they unwittingly dealt with leasing companies and are being refused the grant. Something will have to be done for those who have applied and who had dealt unwittingly with leasing companies. One person I know of paid a lot of money out of his own pocket and went to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Would the Chairman like to come with me to a meeting with the Minister for Finance later? I thank all the contributors for their questions. The beef and suckler cow sector is one of the main issues raised. That is understandable but it was not until Senator Mulherin and Deputy Murphy raised the issue that the climate change context was raised as well. Very often the Department is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Not this year perhaps but, in truth, that is direction of travel. The issue in the context of the delivery of public goods - a broad term in the context of CAP relating to farm families producing high quality produce while protecting water quality, biodiversity and so on - is ensuring farmers are adequately remunerated for that delivery. The Deputy asked if a drainage grant would be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Deputy Healy-Rae raised the issue of the fair deal scheme. My colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Jim Daly, has been engaged on this issue for some time. A proposal went to Government recently and was approved and I expect that there will be substantial progress on that issue in 2019. On the issue of hen harriers, Deputies Danny Healy-Rae, Martin Kenny...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: If the Senator gives me more details after the meeting, I will happily follow it up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Deputy O'Keeffe raised the issue of flexibility in the context of TAMS. He is looking for a great deal of flexibility in terms of TAMS, nitrates and loans via the co-operatives. I am straying a bit out of my comfort zone. First, there has not been an issue. I have a lot of engagement with all the co-ops. This is the first time it has been raised with me as an option that the product could...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: They might well be beneficiaries because, as I understand it, the specification on the costings has been revised. There might well be an upside to reapplying. It is a question of resubmitting the old application. We can look at the case of somebody who is in the middle of an implementation under this scheme. I cannot make a commitment on the hoof. There are downsides to doing these works...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Is the Senator asking about TAMS applications?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: The tranche is open for a two-month period. When the deadline closes, the approvals issue within a month or six weeks.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: I want to be clear about the nitrates directive. We went to a considerable effort to try to renegotiate a renewal of our nitrates derogation. That was an achievement in itself, by comparison with the challenges met by other member states. It is not reasonable to expect us to waive the terms and conditions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: I am aware of the point. We have discussed this previously. The Deputy is not alone in his concerns. If there was an easy solution to this, we would have done it long ago. The circumstances outlined by the Deputy are specifically prohibited under the terms of the scheme, which have not changed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Leasing is a legitimate part of business for many contractors, in particular. They are constantly on leases. I know the Deputy is talking about a specific item that is approved under TAMS. I do not want to dump on leasing companies entirely because they are a legitimate part of the contracting infrastructure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: I am open to all thinking outside the box.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: I am aware that there is a request on my desk to make contact with somebody from the harness racing sector. My understanding is that we have not received the strategic plan. I am subject to correction on that. I do not believe it has been received yet. We provided some funding to enable the organisation to present a strategic plan for the sector and to do some work on welfare-related...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Priorities for Budget 2019: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: I am subject to correction when I say I do not think I have received the strategic plan yet. As I have said, I am open to all sorts of thinking outside the box. The Deputy will appreciate that the budgetary process is ongoing. I cannot say a whole lot more on that.

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Food Promotion (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: Bord Bia is the State Agency under my remit charged with the marketing and promotion of Irish agri-food and drink both at home and abroad. Should the Deputy require further details on the marketing and promotion activities of Bord Bia in the years requested, the Deputy is referred to the agreed Oireachtas contact address: info@Bordbia.ie or the Bord Bia website www.bordbia.iewhere the annual...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbours and Piers Funding (2 Oct 2018)

Michael Creed: My Department owns, operates and maintains six designated State-owned Fishery Harbour Centres, located at Castletownbere, Dingle, Dunmore East, Howth, Killybegs and Ros An Mhíl under statute. In addition, my Department also has responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of North Harbour at Cape Clear, as well as the maintenance of a small number of specific piers, lights and beacons...